FE time?

[whereamI]

How valuable is time spent sitting sideways these days? I am currently flying right seat at a regional, but may have an opportunity to be an FE. The job would eventually allow me to transition to FO, but I am just curious as to how the FE time is viewed in the logbook.

 

[FoxHunter]

A little higher than Navigator time.

 

[minty fresh]

Zero..........But if you move back to a window seat in a few short months it might be worth it. Flying sideways sucks moose!

 

[CCDiscoB]

It Depends...

...if they call you an S/O or an F/E. If it is a S/O position on a 747, with up-grades per seniority, then heck yes. If it's a F/E job with a "fly-by-night" on a... say...DC-8 (no offense to DC-8 F/Es) then I would say NO.

 

[U-I pilot]

If it's a F/E job with a "fly-by-night" on a... say...DC-8 (no offense to DC-8 F/Es) then I would say NO.

Whether its called F/E or S/O doesnt really matter, its probably a good opportunity. Especially if that "fly-by-night" DC8 has a brown tail...

 

[Pickle]

U-I Pilot, yes it does matter.


A S/O (second officer) is a pilot who is starting in the flight engineer seat and will be able to upgrade to first officer with seniority.

A F/E is a flight engineer who will always be a flight engineer with no hope or chance of upgrade. Unless of course the MEC, which is made up of current and former FLIGHT ENGINEERS, decides to change things around to let PF/Es who were never supposed to upgrade have the ability to upgrade..... Wait, did I just say that out loud??

Anyway, yes there is a difference, to be technically correct and split hairs, S/Os are pilots who start in the flight engineer seat, F/Es are flight engineers who won't upgrade.

 

[T-Gates]

Unless of course the MEC, which is made up of current and former FLIGHT ENGINEERS, decides to change things around to let PF/Es who were never supposed to upgrade have the ability to upgrade..... Wait, did I just say that out loud??

There's no bitterness there......

 

[whereamI]

Not an FE job

Allright, I found out the position is for FO not FE. Now the question is which is the better option: a)keep flying at the regional level (upgrade time unkown, maybe 1-2yrs) b)take the right seat in a classic era jet flying to interesting destinations. I am leaning towards taking the new opportunity as it is more the type of flying that has always interested me, but just wondering what everyone else would do. This is of course is a hypothetical situation (wishfull thinking) as I have not recieved a job offer yet.

 

[CCDiscoB]

classic era jet flying to interesting destinations.

If it's a 747, I'd jump at the chance. Does it include a type rating? If it does then...can you tell me about it.

Just kidding, but I did the same thing, took a job on a "classic era jet (DC-10) flying to interesting destinations, and I love it. Granted, I didn't leave a chance to upgrade to the left seat. I'm on the MD-11 now, I guess that's getting into classic mode too.

 

[minty fresh]

At AA we called the guy on the panel the FE not the SO. And all the FE's upgraded to FO or CA, except for the 10 or so 2 stripers.

 

[AA717driver]

Where can you upgrade to captain the quickest? These days, PIC Jet is ALL that matters.TC